VOA慢速英语2021--81岁的滑板运动员

81-Year-Old Skateboarder Learns New Tricks

Yoshio Kinoshita of Japan is not letting his age stop him from learning new tricks on a skateboard.

Almost every morning, the 81-year-old Kinoshita rides at his local skate park in the city of Osaka. He gets helpful information on how to improve from skateboarders who are many years younger than he is.

"They are all my teachers," said Kinoshita.

"At first I was holding on to the railing," he said. But he soon learned to make a 180-degree turn and other tricks.

Before he retired¹, Kinoshita worked in the building industry. He still works part-time as an attendant² in a bicycle parking area.

Kinoshita began skateboarding only two years ago. He bought a board he saw at a market selling unclaimed goods left on the railway.

The decision to buy a skateboard changed Kinoshita's life.

Japan has the most aged³ people in the world. More than 35 percent of its population is expected to be 65 or over by the year 2050. Kinoshita told the Reuters news agency that he thinks skateboarding can help prevent mental decline⁴.

"It's a sport with a sense of tension," he said. "Rather than zoning out, I think skateboarding improves the ability to think even just by a little bit."

Kinoshita added, "For (old) people like me who try to learn new things, if we don't practice it little by little every day, we will forget how to do it immediately. That's why I think I have to (come here) and practice every day."

Kinoshita has two children and two grandchildren. He said he watched in wonder at the skateboarders who competed in the recent Tokyo Olympics. All three medalists in the women's street skateboarding competition at the Games were between the ages of 13 and 19. That includes Japan's own gold medalist, 13-year-old Momiji Nishiya.

"They are really incredible," said Kinoshita. He added, "To be honest, I can't beat those 5-year-old, 4-year-old or 3-year-old kids. That's for sure."

Words in This Story

skateboard – n. a short board that is on wheels and that a person stands on to move along a surface or to perform tricks

bicycle – n. a 2-wheeled vehicle that a person rides by pushing on foot pedals⁵

decline – n. the process of becoming worse in condition or quality

zoning out – v. to become oblivious⁶ to one's surroundings especially in order to relax

practice – v. to do something again and again in order to become better at it

1 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

2 attendant   

n.随从，跟班，出席者，服务员；adj.伴随的，出席的，注意的，在场的

参考例句：

• She was interrupted by the entrance of an attendant.服务员进来，打断了她的话。
• We met the officer attendant on the general.我们见到了随从将军的副官。

3 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

4 decline   

n.衰微，跌落，下降；vt.使降低，婉谢；vi.下降，衰落，偏斜

参考例句：

• I must decline to show favour to any of the candidates.我必须拒绝偏袒任何一位候选人。
• The birthrate is on the decline.出生率在下降。

5 pedals   

n.（自行车或其他机器的）踏板( pedal的名词复数 )；脚蹬子；（钢琴、风琴等的）踏板；踏瓣

参考例句：

• I couldn't reach the pedals on her bike. 我骑她的车够不到脚蹬子。
• The pedals of a cycle are attached to a crank. 自行车的踏板与曲柄相连。 来自辞典例句

6 oblivious   

adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的

参考例句：

• Mother has become quite oblivious after the illness.这次病后，妈妈变得特别健忘。
• He was quite oblivious of the danger.他完全没有察觉到危险。